BNN, Scotia iTrade stock up

Following a flurry of media-related announcements in recent weeks, BNN announced yesterday that Scotia iTrade, the DIY investing arm of the Canadian bank, is on board as a launch partner for the channel’s newest program, Stock and Awe.

In addition to its presenting sponsorship, Scotia iTrade is offering a $5,000 prize for viewers who visit the newly relaunched BNN.ca, and share their anecdotes regarding the worst thing they’ve ever done with their money. The contest will start Oct. 8, between the show’s premieres on BNN (Thursday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET) and CTV (Saturday, Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. ET)

The contest will continue throughout the show’s first season, offering viewers the chance to win a $1,000 Scotia iTrade prize for answering a question about that week’s program online at BNN.ca.

The brand is also being promoted with logos on the BNN.ca Stock and Awe website, and with pre-roll ads on the show’s trailer online.

Stock and Awe is a half-hour informational show following the trials and tribulations of host Hilary Doyle (playing a fictionalized version of herself), a business reporter navigating the pitfalls of personal finance. The show is informational in nature, with real news and financial information, but presented in a comedic, lighthearted style.

Boosting BNN’s profile has been a focus at CTV recently, with the relaunch of BNN.ca (which offers more opportunities for brand integrations, à la Stock and Awe, a spokesperson for the net tells MiC) and the extension of BNN to Bell’s Mobile TV offering, which streams TV programming to smartphones and tablets.